Radon activity and their radiological doses in drinking water of Chitradurga district, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Abstract In this investigation, radon activity concentration, inhalation and ingestion doses due to intake of radon in drinking water have been estimated in the Chitradurga district drinking water by using radon Emanometry technique. The average radon concentrations vary from 1.81 ± 0.11 to 300.33 ± 4.56 Bql−1 with a mean value of 56.01 ± 2.44 Bql−1. Most of the radon concentration levels are within the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union (EU) commission recommended level of 100 Bql−1. About 70% of the drinking water had radon concentration level higher than the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recommended Maximum Contamination Limit (MCL) of 11.1 Bql−1. The annual ingestion dose varies from 0.38 to 63.03 μSvy−1 with an average value of 11.75 μSvy−1. The estimated annual ingestion dose is well within the WHO recommended reference level of 100 μSvy−1.